Printing apparatus



Jan. 16, 1945 M. REYNOLDS ET AL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1 943 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 16, 19 M. REYNOLDS ET AL PRINTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oci.

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M. REYNOLDS ET AL PRINTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet '3 Filed 001:. 6, 1943 (IIlIlIlIllIIIlllIIil/lfl El 33 ms 3 g, MN

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M. REYNOLDS ETAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1943 5 SheetsSheet 4 PIW/II/ I am; am. 46

1 HamZd arrazz 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M REYNOLDS ETAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 6 1943 jig/1 rill/ 71 Jan. 16, 1945.

1&2 12/626, 62 2176i W JQZZ-f Patented Jan. 16, 1945 UNITED", STATES I I P'RmurmG'AnPmm'rU-s qVIilton'Reynolds and Harold G. same, I'Chicago,

' ;Ill., asslgnors to --Printasign Am'erica, Chicago, I ll., a corporation Illinois *Corporation -of of Man-cation October's, 1943, Serial No. 505,096

I :l5 claims. This (present invention relates generally to printing apparatus and'is morepartic'ularly 'described in connection with'th'a'tftype of printing apparatus designed primarily .to print cards for sign or placard i forming purposes, and comprises a movabletype .supporting member which is 'ro- Another object of the ,inventionis to provide an'improved 'operatinglever and connected mechanism 'for simplifying'the, card feeding operation at the conclusion of eachiprinting operation.

' Aiurther object of the invention .is to provide 2 an-iinprovedmeans forsupportin'g and operatin'g i theltype and characters for printing Operations. .A further object of the invention is to provide an, improvedinking device 'and a simple selec ti-ve device for operatingit. II A still 'further object of the inventionisto-provide a sign or placardprintin apparatus which occupies a minimum space and maybeproduced at. a comparatively. low' and. reasonable cost.

.Other'objects otthe invention and the, various advantages and characteristics of the present printingapparatus will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the :several novel features which are hereinafter'set forth and are more particularly defined in the :claims atthe conclusion hereof. I I. In the drawings which accompany and form a part of .this specificationor disclosure and in which-like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts-throughout the several views:

,Fig. 1 is a plan view of a printing apparatus embodying this invention;

Fig. 21s a sect'on taken on the line L 2 of Fig. 3 isa detail perspective illustrating a part of the .feed controlling mechanism:

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-' 4 of Fig. '2; I ,Fig. .5 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line .5-5 'of Fig. z showing the position of some of the operating mechanism ,justprior to the printing operation; I H

l ig. .6 is a view =.similartoFig. 5 .showing the same parts at the time -of-';printing;

GLsl-QT Z) I I Fig. "7 is 'a'detail'section illustrating a modification of a printing type; I

I l'FigfSis afrag'mentaryplan view o-f-the printing type 'carri'erand holder;

' :Fig. 9 is "a sectional View '0 parts "shown in Fig. "8;" I

Fig. fl0'is asectional-viewdf"thetype holder and spacingplatea's' shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. .ll'is 'ais'ection'al view illustrating the oneway. clutch mechanism; I

I Fig; I2 is aside elevation "with parts and sec-- 'tions further "illustrating the 'on'e waymlutch mechanism; Y

Fig. 13"is1a'jper pective'of 'one'of the supporting parts o'f'the clutchmechanismj' and II Fig.14 is a.perspective oithe clutch do'g dfthe clutch mechanism. 7 y

; 'I'he,.-printing.apparatus'sho'wnin the drawings constitutes apreferi'ed embodiment of the invention which is designed oradapted primarily to printcardslin forming signs orpl'acards. 'It comprises .amova'b'le member which carries thetype adapted .to .be shifted and rotatedin the same plane to bring different type into printing position and then depressed-to effect theprinting. The depression .of .the type carrier also causes the operation-of spacing mechanism which advances.theicardorgpaper beingprinted a space or distance in accordance with the width of the letter or-character whichisprinted, it being apparent thatsome letters .or characters are wider and-require difierent spacing than others.

Referring more .particularly-to the drawings, a hollow card supporting'base lfiis preferably made of sheet metal which providesa flat platen or top surface Flier receiving-a sheetorcard I'8 tolbe printed. 'Mounted centrallyv at the back of .the

.base is a hcllowisupporting arm 19 also preferablysformed-of sheet'metalgthe free end extendi-ngzfforwardly: approximately to'the center of'the topisurface .of' thebase. .Thecard :orzsheet [-8 to be printed rests flatly on top of "the' basewhichis slightly larger than -four --times-"the size of the f one of the carrier l'e ft'to"rightandirom'top"to bottom-with respect to the fp'rintin'g mechanism in order to "cover the I entire sheet. I Each'sheet to "beprinte'd-is held at its 'lowere'dge' 'in"a'rn'ovable carrier comprising a card retaining. strip nfwith springjpaper retainin'g clips 2| .at'th'e eiigeior holding the paper against'thestripthe carrier being movable below achannel stripfl i which forms a part ofthe carriage, mounted at its ends for movement toward vand .from I the printing mechanism by sheet to :be printed since it must "be moved "from w means of side slots 23 at the edges of the top H of the base.

The printing mechanism is located at the extremity of the hollow arm l9 and comprises a rotary type carrier which is mounted for movement longitudinally of the arm and also for a depressing or printing movement. This type carrier comprises a hollow circular member 24 witha transverse web 25 extending therefrom, supporting opposite front and rear projections 26. Each projection carries a mounting wheel or roller 21 attached by means of a shoulder screw 28, and each roller has an angular edge 29 mounted in corresponding upper and lower angular grooves 30 located in opposite sides of the extremity of arm I9 and extending parallel with the top I1 of the base.

A shouldered stem 3| is inserted through the hollow member 24, and a coil spring 32 is disposed in a recess 33 between the stem and the member, abutting the member at the lower end of the recess and a shoulder 34 on the stem at the top of the recess. Secured to the lower end of the stem by a cross pin 35 is a type carrier 36 having a hub 31 which is resiliently held against the lower end of the member 26 by the Spring 32.

At the upper end of the stem is a central bore or recess 38 for receiving the supporting shaft 39. of a letter selecting and spacing guide. This guide comprises a plate 45 held on the shaft bya knob 42 secured to the shaft and having a threaded portion extending centrally through the plate, and a nut 4| engaging the threaded portion and the under side of the plate holding it against a shoulder 43 on the knob.

Near the lower end of the shaft 39 is a transverse slot 39a for receiving a cross pin 3|a secured to the upper end of the stem 3| for limiting the movement of the shaft in the recess 38. A coil spring 44 surrounds the shaft 39 and is interposed between an outward flange 45 at the upper end of the stem 3| and the under side of the selector plate 49, the upper end of the spring being seated in a recess between the lower ends of the nut 4| and knob 42. The spring 44 is relatively stronger and harder to compress than spring 32, so that when the carrier stem 3| is moved downwardly by pressure on the knob 42, the flange 45 engages the top of member 24 limiting downward movement of the type carrier. Continued downward pressure on the knob 42 compresses spring 42, allowing a further independent downward movement of shaft 39 into the bore 38 against the spring 44, limited by the engagement of the pin 3|a in the slot 39a, which causes a corresponding movement of the selector and operating plate 40, without any relative rotative movement of the plate with respect to the type carrier 36.

The type carrier 36 is preferably circular in form and comprises a number of type openings 46 preferably in radial lines or arrangement, separated by ribs 41. At its outer periphery isa gear 48 for operating an inking device.

A plurality of printing types or characters 49 are attached at one side of a resilient, flexible disc 59 and arranged according to the opening 46 of the carrier. At the opposite side of the disc 50 are stiff contact plates corresponding to each of the opposite types or characters 49. The supporting disc 50 is preferably a resilient sheet of rubber or rubber-like material, and it is mounted at the under side of the carrier 36. A thin mounting plate 52 having openings 53 corresponding to the types 49 and ribs 54 rounded at the top bethe under side of the type supporting disc 50 and between the types 49. The plate is secured to the carrier 36 by fastening screws 55 at the periphery and a fastening screw 56 at the center.

Partly within the base and partly within the arm I9 is a U-shaped operating lever 51 mounted between its ends upon a cross shaft 58 which has end bearings 59 in the sides of the arm Hi. The upper end of this lever extends below the transverse web 25 of the supporting member 24, and the lower end extends within the base I6.

At the upper end of lever 51 is an extension 69 with a connecting offset 6| to bring the extension close to the printing position at the front and rear cener line of movement of the type carrier. Mounted on a pivot 62 adjacent the upper end of the extension 60 is a control member 63 with a pointed extremity 64. The pivot 62 is in the form of an extending screw having a projecting head 65, and at the lower end of the extension 60 is another similar headed screw 66. An operating bar 61 has slots 68 and 69 to mount it for sliding movement on the reduced portions of the mounting screws 65 and 66 and retained by their heads so that it is movable relatively to the extension of the operating lever. At the upper end of the bar is a flat extremity 10 forengaging the under side of the letter spacing guide plate 40,

I and the lower extremity 1| is slightly reduced but tween the openings is applied to and supports is fiat atthe end to engage any one of the contact plates 5|.

On the upper side of the letter spacing guide plate 46 are letters and characters 12 correspond ing to the arrangement of letters or characters in the type carrier 36. At one side of each letter or character is a corresponding slot 13. The width of the slot is sufficient to admit the pointed extremity 64 of the control member 63, and the length of each slot determines the amount that the pointed extremity 64 of the control member can project through the slot. These slots differ in length corresponding oppositely to the widths of the letters, a letter like I having a slot of maximum length, and a letter like W or M having a slot of length corresponding inversely to the comparative width of the letter. The feed is determined by the relative movement between the member 68 and the bar 61, short slots 13 being engaged by the pointed extremity 64 earlier than the long slots and thus producing a relatively longer movement. These slots 13 are called letter spacing slots and they control the letter feeding movement of the printing mechanism so that the card or sheet to be printed is advanced an amount equal to the width of the letter or character printed after the printing of the letter has been effected.

A pivoted and spring pressed control member 63 is provided to insure engagement with the letter spacing slots 13 regardless of the position of its lever 51, and in order to maintain the operating bar in contact with the under side of the letter spacing guide 4;) at all times. This is effected by providing a projection 14 at the lower outside end of the member 53 in position to engage a projection 15 from the outer edge of the lever extension 6|] which is in the path of the projection 14, Near the lower end of the operating bar 61 is a projection 16 substantially in line with the projection 14 and connected at each end to these projections is a coil spring 11 which tends to hold the projection 14 of the controlling member 63 against the projection 15 and at the stme time tends to press the operating bar 61 upwardly in its mounting slots and with respect to the end or the :lever and tin contact with the milder side .of the letterguideflfl.

, The. operatingllever 5151s also heldupwardly-by :a spring'l8 connectedzat oneendto the-,leverand at "the :other end to an;adjusting screw 19 extending through .the outer casing of .arm l9 and having a threaded .lockrnut or collar 80 outside I ;of"thearm. in whichfiti is adjustable. Movement 'ofsthe lever caused by thezspringis limited by a projection 8.0a, extending'from thelevernear its outer end and adaptedstosengagethe under edge of one .of..the:projecting1endsofthe arm [9, as :shown .more :clearly in .Fig. .4.

- As :shown in .Fig. l, :the letters or characters agaerz sie wise xdirection, wthe Jinking pad :or wiper 90 is :rotated over theface of thetype at the printing ing:with theplatewillrequalizetheprinting pres sureat the faceof thetype 49 :whether-the end of the bar 61 is large incomparison withtheplate 51 or somewhat smaller than plate 51a, if the face of :theprinting type 'is parallel to'the surface of the contact plate. ;By,distorting the resillent .disc :50 over the roundedribs ;54 of the supporting plate only one type is moved .into printing o0ntact,' and .after such engagement and relief of pressure upon the operatingzknob 42, the resilience of the disc immediately returns any printing characterto :its normal position in the carrier. l

In order to apply ink .to-printin'g types .or characters .49,an inking device may be mounted attthe front of the arm l9 by means of a bracket 8l,- secured theretobyscrews82 or other suitable fastening devices, tand'comprising ahollow stem 83 with an inkreceiving hopper 84 at the top closed by a removablelidi85. Q I

WSecured to thehopper and projecting above the. guide plate in its raised position is apointer 86which extends toward the typecarrier and designates the letter which is at the printing position when the spacing slot 13 at the right side of eachletter is moved to the tip of the pointer asthe carrier is moved forward or backward or is rotated so that thepointer thus desighates the letter which :15 in the printing positionto be actuated by the operatingbar 61.

A suitable inking device is located at the bottom of the hollow stem 83 and comprises a hollow tube-81 rotatable in the stemwith, a small gear-.88 near its lower end terminating in an arm 89 extending at right angles and comprising a hollow internal feeder withan outside inking pad orwiper 90 of fabric or' other suitable material. The hollow tube 81 is held in downward position and may be automatically returnedfrom an inking'positionby a coil "spring-9i which surrounds the tube 81 and-is interposed between the gear 88 and thelower end of the hollow stem 83, A shield 92 secured at the lower end of the stem 83 'extendsbelow: and partially around the inking armin its normal or inoperative position.

"To apply "theinkingdevice to the type faces,

, the type carrier 36 is moved forwardly within itszsupporting member 24 bypulling the knob 42 forwardlyruntilfthe gear-48 engages the gear 88. By then turningtthe lknobxin-a countereclock- :position; or "all theztype which may .be in the apathof :the wiper as indicated more clearly in Fig. .:1. 'The operation of the inking device isthus made selective and optional so that the type faces need not be 'inked'for each printing operation, or if.desired, they may be inked before :each operation thereof. .If the ink-is applied .to

each type .face beforelprinting, the pad or wiper .wouldbe'requiredonly. at-the end or extremity ofv the arm B9.

Movable rearwardly from thefront of the casing is the paper carriage in which the sheetcarrier strip 20 is transversely movable. It has a bottom plate 99 which rests upon the top 11 of thercasing and a channelstrip ZZ'is securedtheretoand overlies and rests upon, the front edge of the strip 20.

each carriage is a rack I02 at each side below .eachof the side-slots -23which mesh with pinions .1104 one. shaft. H13 rotated from one or both sides of the base by a knurledhead IUEsecured to the shaft and located at the outer edge of the casing.

Atythelower end of the lever 5'! is a-slot 93 engaged bya projection 94 from a collar 95se-- cured to an angular shaft 99 extending within the-casingjIG and mounted for rotation in'bearings Sl'land 9.8 at the front and rear of thecasing so that the shaft is rocked in opposite directionsby the raising and lowering movements of the'lever. v

The step by step letter spacing movement of thecard holding strip 29 is effected from the movements of the rock shaft 96 by means of a one way clutch I06 secured to the under side of the carriage plate,,99 and, overlying the rock shaft 96; It is movable with the carriage in a longitudinally extending central opening l9! which terminates in front of the printing position as de- 4 fined'by theextremity of the pointer 89. The particular construction of the one way clutch forms no part of this invention but it comprises a bracket I08 secured to and depending from the bottom carriage plate 99 through the opening l0! with-an upturned'slotted extremity. l09embracing and engaged in a slot of a collar H0 mounted and slidable upon the angular shaft 96. An arm Ill secured to the collar lltiis rocked with the shaft 96 and moves the clutch mecha nism different letter spacing distances inaccordance with the rocking movement of the shaft.

In the clutch, a pair of plates H5 and H6 have upper projecting ears Ill and H8 to engage above and below the edge of the carrier over the edge of the carrier strip 29 and is adaptedto grip the stripywheninclined thereto but;to.--slide along with the plates whenit is in The carrierstrip .29 is held in .placeunder the channel strip by a rib l0! seupright position or at right angles to the strip. A spring l2l is mounted on a projection I22 and has an angular free end which engages the dog H2 tending to press it from an upright position to an inclined position in which the gripping notch H3 engages the strip 20. In the plates H1 and H8 are registering notches I23 through which extend a, pin I24 projecting from the end of the arml I I. As the arm is'rocked with the shaft 96, the plates H5 and H6 with the dog H2 are moved along the edge of the carrier strip 20, the'dog gripping the strip in one direction but moving free of engagement in the other direction.

Then the shaft 96 is moved in a downward direction by the lever 51, the clutch dog H2 is moved freely with respect to the strip and in a direction from left to right of the sheet or placard which is being printed, and when the shaft 96 is returning in the other directionby the movement of the lever, the edges of the notch H3 grip the opposite sides of the edge of the strip and move it together with the sheet or card [8 in a letter spacing direction, and in an amount determined by the length of the letter spacing slot 13.

In order to effect independent movement of the sheet and its carrier in a letter spacing direction, the upper extremity of the clutch dog H2 projects through an opening H4 in the channel plate 22 so that it may be engaged by the fingers and moved in opposite directions in the opening.

With this construction, it will be apparent that that paper or sheet to be printed may be readily moved by the carriage and by the sheet carrier strip 20 to place any portion of it at the printing position which is defined by the extremity of the pointer 86.

In the printing operation, the normal position of the type carrier is in raised position as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. At this time, the printing plunger or operating bar 51 is free from engagement with the under side of the selector and guide plate do, the lever 51 is in raised position and th control member 63 is at the lower end of the slot 68 of the operating member 61. The type carrier may be freely rotated upon its axis and moved forwardly or rearwardly upon its rollers 21 to bring any desired letter or character into printing position at the extremity of the pointer 86. With practice, this is quickly and easily done so that printing is rapidly effected. The type carrier is then depressed by downward pressure on the knob 42 which moves the operating member 54 downwardly with it until the carrier is stopped by the engagement of the flange 45 with the top of carrier member 24. Continued pressure on the knob further depresses the plate 40 additionally moving the printing or operating bar 61 and engaging its extremit with the contact plate 5| of the letter or character selected, pressing that character out of the plane of the flexible disc 50 and into engagement with the face of the sheet to be printed.

Just before the printing operation is effected by'the downward movement of the type carrier, the pointed extremity 64 of the letter spacing control member is projected through the spacing slot 13 an amount corresponding to the letter or character to be printed, the length of the slot determining the exact amount that the lever '51 is moved, which in turn controls the movement of the one way clutch I06. The downward movement of the lever 51 moves the clutch and par ticularly the clutch dog H2 along the edge of the paper holding strip 20, a distance corresponding to the length of the letter feeding slot '13, and upon the return movement of the shaft 95, the lever 51 and the dog H2, the sheet holding strip 20 is advanced in letter spacing direction a distance depending upon the width of the letter or character which has just been printed,

If it is necessary to ink the letters or characters at any time, the letter carrier is moved forwardly until the gear 48 engages the pinion or gear 88 of the inking mechanism whereupon it is actuated or operated as previously described.

When printing pressure is relieved upon the knob 42, it is returned to its normal or raised position by springs 44 and 32, the lever 5! is returned by its spring 18, and the operating members 61 and B3 are returned to their normal positions and relations by spring TI. The resilient disc 50 also returns any type to its normal position. The parts are then in position for the next printing operation which is repeated until the desired printing is completed.

This mechanism provides an improved construction and arrangement which occupies a small amount of space, it is composed of a relatively few number of parts which may be produced and operated in a simple manner at a comparatively low and reasonable cost.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a printing apparatus, a base for receiving thereon a card or sheet to be printed, an arm extending from the rear of the base forwardly to overlie the card or sheet, a type carrier mounted for rotary and reciprocating movement in the arm, the type carrier including an upper plate and a spaced lower resilient disc with types mounted at the under side thereof, a movable operating member between the plate and disc at the printing point for engaging the under side of the plate and the top of the disc opposite any one of the types movable to press a type into engagement with a card or sheet when the plate is moved downwardly.

2. In a printing apparatus, a type carrier and means mounting it for'rotary and reciprocating type selecting movement, the carrier comprising an upper plate and a spaced lower resilient disc having types at the under side thereof, an operating bar mounted below the plate and above the disc, and means including theiplate for moving the bar into engagement with the disc at the back of any of the types and for depressing the disc and a type out of the plane of the disc for effecting the printing operation.

3. In a printing apparatus, a base for receiving a card thereon to be printed, an arm ecured to the base and extending forwardly over the card from the rear of the base, a type carrier mounted for reciprocating and rotary type selecting movement in the free end of the arm, the type carrier comprising an upper type selecting plate and a spaced lower resilient disc with types at the under side thereof, a depressible mounting for the disc, a type operating bar between the plate and disc movable by the plate to engage the flexible disc at the side opposite the type, and mean for depressing the plate with respect to the disc for movingithe banandldefiecting asselected printing be-'- printed, a: type-car v which". corresponds to; the printing type; at the? bottom: of :the disc, .meanszto; separately-depress: the platewithmespect; to the type carrying disc,

ri'er including a: resilient -deflectible disc: with types on the-underside thereof; a -plate also movable withthe'carrierrmeansror additionally moving thev platewith: respect to the type carrying disc; 'and a: plungermounted? for movement: with the typ'e earrienbetween: the disc and" theplat'e and engageabl'e'with'the plate and' the'depressible' disc for defiectingzaiselected type' out of thepl'ane off-the disc-and toengagea sheeton the-:base :to1 be printed.

. lrrazprintirrgapparatus:v awbasei for receiving.

thereon .av. sheet) to be printed, an arm extending: forwardly:from-therean of' the'baseto. overlie. a sheeti-to: beprintedga. type carrier mountediat thefree .ends of i the .b asewf or rotary and." reciprocating: type: selecting: movement, the carrier. comprising atresilienindisct'havin v types to .be printed. at; the underside: ofxthe' disc; amoperating plate mounted: for movement withrthesdisc, meansforrmoving: the.:pla=te1. am additional. dlStaIICGEitOWEIdE. the:

' disc-,;.arr operatingbarr-disposed: between the disc: and the plateimountedrfor movement; in avertical' directionxatt the. printing point; theplate errgaging the: bar." to move it. downwardly with the. disc,:. and the plate: moving: the; bar an;v additional distance deflecting the? discitoimove the; type in. printing engagementiwith "the: sheet on .the- .base;v 6: Ima printing apparatus; axb'ase for'receiving: thereon; a .si 'l'eetv to be;printed;., an; arm. extending: fromzthe; rear on the: base-t forwardly to I overlie: aesheettz at' the: printing: point... a: type. carrier mounted.for'rotary andareciprocatingatyl le.select ingzmovem'ent irrithei'free end .of; thegarm, theitypez carrier comprising a flexible discawithprinting types ati-the imderrsidethereof, a plate movable with the; carrier. and-i disc: and positioned above the arm, means for mounting the plate for a depressible printing movement with respect to the an operating plate movable'with thecarrier and disposed above the arm, resilient means for depressibly mounting the disc and the plate in the carrier, an operating bar interposed between the disc and the plate at the printing point, a pointer extending over the plate at the printing point to anxoperatingzbarrlocated-at: thesprinting: pointxbetweernthe disc and:the:p-late; and engagedby the: plates tarmove". itt. downwardly andi. further de.-- pressedzbytthe:plateto deflect the disc for mov-- ing" any selected. type into; printing; engagement: with a; sheetzoni-the basez.

9. A;printingtapparatus,comprising a base for; receiving: thereon. a; sheet. to; be; printed, a type.- carrier imovablymounted. above. the. base for tary, reciprocating and, depressiblemovementthe. type carrier comprising a circular: bottom. mem

' ber, a-;type': carrying:;di's-c;mountedain the; member having-types: projecting; atrtherbottom. therefrom; afitypaselectingplate atv the-top of thecarrier, an; operating:barrmountedsat. the; printingpoint. be-- tweeri the: disc: and the-iplategand. movable; there?- by and. therewith toeffect,v a: printing 1 movement; and an. inking; devicecomprising azwiper. engaged: by the. saiditype carrying member when it is-. re.-- ciprocatedain? one; direction and then, rotated; to. app-lyink. to the; printing face. of aztypeintthe: printingposition.

10. A printing apparatuscomprising; a baseforreceiving a: sheet. thereon;v to.beprinted, a. type carrierg movablymountedfor rotary and reciprocating mo-vement to place-anyone of a plurality,

OfSGlGCtGdlYDBSZln asprinting; position, thecar.

rier comp-rising; a.-r,ota-ry;-type-. carrying member. having ageanat its outer peripheryand types: projecting at the bottomthereof', an inking device. having a rotary, inking arm and-.a gearon. the; inking arm toengagehthe gear of: the type-carry ing-gmember; when it .is--moyed .in. a:forward .direction, the type; carryin member being rotatable to. rotate the, inking: device arm. over; the. printing face of the typesinanarc. including-the printing. position; and means for. applying. the type; when inked .to asheet onctheiplaten.

ll--.. Ina printing-.zgpparatus,abase. for receiving,v thereon a sheet. to be printed v anv arm. se-.; curedto the-arear. of the; base andexte'nding; forwardly over a sheet atthe printing position, a type carrier movably mounted in the free end of the arm for rotary and reciprocating movement to place any one of the types in printing position, means mounting the type carrier in the arm for depressible printing movement, the carrier comprising a flexble type supporting disc, an operating late. spaced above the disc, means for mounting the plate at the top of the carrier for separate depressible movement with respect to the disc, and an operating bar interposed between the type and the late and movable by the additional depression of the plate into engagedesignate the character which is at the printing point, and means for further depressing the plate to apply the operating bar to the disc when the carrier is depressed;

8. In a printing apparatus, a base for supporting a sheet to be printed thereon, a type carrier and means mounting it for rotary, reciprocating and depressible movement in a position above the ment with any one of the selected types carried by the disc.

12. In a card printing apparatus, a type carrier comprising a flexible and resilient disc, a plurality of types secured to the lower printing face thereof, a plate on which the disc is mounted having openings corresponding to each of the types, solid back plates secured to the disc at the side opposite each of the types, an operating bar to engage the plate of any of the types and deforming the disc out of the plane thereof to evenly apply the printing type to a printing surface below the. disc.

13. A printing apparatus comprising a base for receiving a sheet to beprinted thereon, a type carrier and means for mounting it for rotary and reciprocating movement above the base, the type carrier comprising a flexible and resilient disc with type secured to the lower face thereof and a pressure plate secured to the opposite side of the disc for each of the types, means for depressibly mounting the type carrier for movement toward and from the face, an operating bar located at the rinting position for engaging the plate of any type moved thereunder, stop means for limiting the movement of the disc to a position above the sheet to be printed and means for moving the bar to engage the back plate of a selected type for deflecting a portion only of the disc so that the corresponding type will be moved into printing engagement with the sheet to be printed.

14. In a printing apparatus, a base for receiving thereon a sheet to be printed, a sheet carriage movable in the base including a transversely movable sheet carrier, a variable clutch for engaging the sheet carrier, an operating shaft for the clutch, an arm secured to the base and projecting forwardly over a sheet at the printing position, a type carrier movably, mounted in the arm for rotary and reciprocating type selecting movement, the carrier comprising a resilient de fiectible disc in which the types are mounted, an operating plate depressible with respect to the carrier disc, an operating'bar mounted between the disc and the plate at the printing point and movable by the plate to engage the disc and an operating arm lever pivoted in the arm having a crank connection with the shaft at one end, and a lost motion connection with the operating bar at the other end, the operating plate having slots thereincorresponding to the widths of each of the letters of the disc, and a control member mounted on the lever adjacent the operating bar and entering the slot of any selected letter a variable amount to determine the letter spacing movement of the operating lever.

15. In a printing apparatus, a hollow base for receiving thereon a sheet to be printed, a carriage movable forward and back on the base having a sheet engaging carrier transversely movable in the carriage, a variable spacing clutch to engage the sheet carrier, operating means for the clutch including a rock shaft, an arm mounted at the rear of the base and extending forwardly over the sheet at the printing position, a lever mounted in the base of the arm and having opposite extremities one engaging the rock shaft and the other end having an angular extension with a pointed controlling member piv otally connected thereto, an operating bar having a pin and slot connection to give it a limited movement with respect to said operating member, a spring between the operating member and the bar tending to hold the operating member in upright position and the bar at the lower end of its slots, a. type carrier and means for mounting it for rotary and reciprocating movement in the end of the arm, the carrier comprising a resilient disc, and an operating plate spaced apart and on opposite ends of the operating bar, the resilient disc having types at the lower side thereof and the plate having corresponding designations of the types at the lower side of the disc, and the plate having slots therein corresponding to each of the type indications, the slots adapted to be entered by the said operating member depending upon the length or the slot, means for mounting the disc and plate for a joint depressing movement, and means for additionally depressing the operating plate to engage the operating bar with the disc for printing any selected type, stop means for limiting the downward movement of the type carrier, stop means for limiting the upward movement of the operating lever, a spring tending to hold the operating lever in its uppermost position and the entry of the operating member into the slot controlling the extent of movement of the sheet advancing clutch in the return movement of the operating lever upon the return movement of the type carrier and the operating plate to their original positions.

MILTON REYNOLDS.

HAROLD G. BARRETT. 

